"A gift opens the way for the giver and allows you to be heard by all kinds of people" Proverbs 18:16 (SRV)
A little story...
Not too long I was visiting with my family at a home that is used by people in ministry to take a break.
I had visited there over three years ago and the home is often used, almost every week, by someone with their spouse or family, involved in ministry in one form or another to take a small break from their ministry obligations.
When I passed through three years ago, I gave the care taker a Christian Worship CD and a few other small items to bless his life and the life of his family. I really did not think much about it at the time.
I had an eye opening moment though when I met up with the same person this time around.
As I pulled up to their house, I explained that I was going to stay in the guest house with my family over the next several days. The caretaker took a look at me, gave a small exclamation, and said "You are Pastor Walter (this is my given name)! We listened to that CD so many times that we wore it out!! We lent it out to other in the church until finally it disappeared. Yes, that fellow that just left, we had to clean up quite a bit for him."
I was stunned, in a very positive way.
First, I did not remember giving them a CD until he mentioned it.
Second, he remembered me by name, but the guy that had just left that morning was simply "That fellow".
Third, the immense use and blessing that the CD was far outweighed any consideration in cost of giving it.
Afterwards, I thought about this for a long time. I considered the impact of the incidental giving and grace that we can extend. It was an eye opener. So many times we give begrudgingly or we do not give at all. But, God can and does use our gifts and our giving in powerful ways. It shows a part of God that can make a wonderful difference in the loves of others.
"He is no fool who gives what he can not keep to gain that which he can not lose" - Jim Elliot
"... If you help others in difficulty, do it generously and quickly, being perceptive of their needs." Romans 12:6
This ties in beautifully with a pamphlet on Jesus' discussions of money in the Bible I was reading last night. Thanks for the post. -hp
Posted by: HP | August 27, 2009 at 12:21 PM